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Emergency Planning Grant
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much emergency planning grant was allocated to Gloucestershire in each of the past five years for which figures are available. [139286]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Gloucestershire County Council was allocated the following Civil Defence grant:
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 224,000 |
| 1996-97 | 224,000 |
| 1997-98 | 212,800 |
| 1998-99 | 204,288 |
| 1999-2000 | 204,288 |
Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much emergency planning grant was allocated to Shropshire in each of the past five years. [139050]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Shropshire County Council was allocated the following Civil Defence grant:
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 224,000 |
| 1996-97 | 224,000 |
| 1997-98 | 212,800 |
| 1998-99 | 171,288 |
| 1999/2000 | 170,688 |
In addition, Telford and Wrekin Council is eligible for grant since becoming a unitary authority and was allocated the following:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1998-99 | 37,000 |
| 1999-2000 | 35,000 |
Automatic Extradition (EU)
Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those crimes for which, under the draft Treaty of Nice, automatic extradition between member states of the EU is proposed. [139004]
Mr. Charles Clarke: There are no plans to include measures concerning extradition in the forthcoming Treaty of Nice.
Outline proposals for simplifying extradition are contained in the Programme of Measures to implement the principle of mutual recognition of decisions in criminal matters. The proposals would apply at least to the serious offences listed in Article 29 of the Treaty on European Union.
21 Nov 2000 : Column: 156W
For further information, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 31 October 2000, Official Report, column 424W.
Volunteering
Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's support for volunteering. [138806]
Mr. Boateng: The Government value the contribution volunteers make to society, and is committed to making substantial progress towards 1 million more people actively involved in their communities by 2004. Current Government initiatives supporting volunteering include: the Active Community Unit's Black and Minority Ethnic Twinning Initiative; the Home Office Older Volunteers Initiative; the National Database of Volunteering Opportunities; the Active Community Demonstration Projects; Timebank; the Community Channel and Millennium Volunteers. The United Nations Year of the Volunteer in 2001 will also focus attention on the contribution made by volunteers to their communities.
Khat
Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce legal restrictions on Khat; and if he will make a statement. [138807]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The khat plant is not controlled under the United Nations drug conventions and we have no current plans to bring it under the controls of our own misuse of drugs legislation.
In 1988, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), the independent body which advises the Government on drug misuse matters, concluded that there was insufficient evidence of a social problem arising from the misuse of khat in the United Kingdom to justify bringing the plant under the controls of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. However, the Home Office is currently collating updated information on the extent of its misuse and if this indicates that the situation has changed significantly the ACMD will be asked for fresh advice.
HEALTH
St. George's Hospital, Tooting
5. Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute hospital beds there are at St. George's Hospital, Tooting. [137640]
Mr. Denham: Currently, St. George's NHS Trust has a total of 1,006 beds available across its three main hospital sites. 838 of these beds are classified as "acute" beds.
St. George's NHS Trust will have an additional 52 beds to meet the winter demand this year compared with last winter.
21 Nov 2000 : Column: 157W
Bed numbers are only available for whole Trusts. There is no collection of beds at different sites within an NHS Trust.
NHS Dentistry
13. Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase spending on NHS dentistry over the next three years. [137648]
Mr. Denham: We are committed to making NHS dentistry available to everyone who needs it by September 2001. Our strategy describes proposals for investment in the General Dental Service and Dental Access Centres, supported by £100 million extra over two years. Treating more patients will put another £80 million a year into NHS dentistry.
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Health Authority Budget
14. Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth health authority's budget for 2000-01. [137649]
Mr. Denham: Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Health Authority's allocation for 2000-01 is £456 million. It has set a balanced budget for 2000-01. The latest forecast outturn position from the Health Authority indicates that it is on line to achieve this target.
Angiograms
15. Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to improve waiting times for angiograms in the NHS Trent region. [137650]
Yvette Cooper: The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease, launched in March, is a ten-year programme which sets out national standards, service models and monitoring criteria for the whole spectrum of care from prevention to emergency services, diagnosis, treatment, surgery and rehabilitation. All districts in Trent are actively working towards the targets set under the NSF and reducing waiting times in line with the NHS Plan.
National Alcohol Strategy
16. Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the Government's national alcohol strategy. [137651]
Ms Stuart: We remain committed to the publication of a cross Government strategy to tackle alcohol misuse, and we are working with key stakeholders across Government, the alcohol field and the alcohol industry to ensure that this commitment is delivered.
We expect to publish a consultation paper on the strategy in the new year.
Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include alcohol abuse within the remit of the National Treatment Agency; and if he will make a statement. [138746]
21 Nov 2000 : Column: 158W
Ms Stuart: A public consultation will begin shortly on the proposed new National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse. This will afford the opportunity for the agency's role in relation to alcohol to be discussed.
Flu Injections
17. Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people within the target groups have been vaccinated against influenza. [137652]
Yvette Cooper: The most recent monitoring figures from Influenza co-ordinators across England as at 31 October, show an average uptake of 47 per cent. among people aged 65 years and over. This shows good progress towards achieving the recommended 60 per cent. uptake figure set at the start of the campaign.
38. Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of flu injections in West Sussex. [137674]
Yvette Cooper: General practitioners order their supply of flu vaccine direct from manufacturers. This year there are five suppliers of flu vaccine. Unfortunately one of the manufacturers, Solvay, has encountered problems in growing a strain of the vaccine which has led to delays in some deliveries. Solvay have been in touch with the affected GPs to tell them details of any delays, but have confirmed that all ordered vaccine will be delivered by the end of November, in time to protect people this winter.
Latest figures as at 8 November, show that 9.8 million doses of vaccine have already been distributed. This along with the amount of vaccine still to be delivered, is a sufficient amount to exceed our immunisation target of 60 per cent. uptake in those aged 65 and over, and to achieve a substantial rise in uptake among those at risk under 65.
Sexual Health and HIV Strategy
18. Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress on his sexual health and HIV strategy. [137653]
Yvette Cooper: Following the merger of the Sexual Health and HIV Strategies earlier this year, considerable progress has been made with producing an integrated strategy. The strategy will set a programme of action on sexual health and HIV for England.
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